Ramirez out with shoulder tendinitis

VIERA — Ten minutes before the buses were to leave from Jupiter for Wednesday night's road game against the Nationals, Fredi Gonzalez got some bad news.

Shortstop Hanley Ramirez told Gonzalez his right shoulder was bothering him to the extent that he couldn't play.

"He is pretty truthful to me when he is hurt," Gonzalez said.

It turns out Ramirez was being truthful, as he was diagnosed with rotator-cuff tendinitis after seeing a doctor in Jupiter and is listed as day-to-day.

Ramirez returned to the Marlins from the World Baseball Classic on Thursday, and played shortstop Friday and was designated hitter Saturday, but has not played since.

Gonzalez gave him Sunday off, and then scratched him from the lineup Monday after Ramirez first complained about the shoulder.

The Marlins were off Tuesday, and Gonzalez had him in the lineup until Ramirez visited him at 2:20 p.m. Wednesday.

Bullpen also ailing

Prior to Ramirez's visit, Gonzalez had received more bad injury news.

Reliever Scott Proctor, who had a setback early this month when scar tissue in his surgically repaired right elbow broke up, will not throw for at least a couple days and that means he will likely not be ready for the start of the season.

Proctor, 32, had started throwing off the mound late last week, and had hoped to pitch from the mound later this week.

"He revisited the doctor Tuesday," Gonzalez said.

"I think they are doing a little different treatment with him. This is really concerning."

Proctor, who had the elbow surgery last October, was expected to be the Marlins' main setup man.

On Monday the Marlins said that the closer Proctor was supposed to hand the ball to, Matt Lindstrom, has a strained right rotator cuff and will be shut down for at least another week and could also miss the start of the season.

Open competition

The injuries to Lindstrom and Proctor could open up two more spots in the bullpen.

"Every relief pitcher is in the mix. If they don't think that, they need to look in the training room," Gonzalez said.

Nolasco No. 1?

Gonzalez watched Ricky Nolasco pitch a simulated game Tuesday from the outfield, where he gathered up balls that were hit there, since there were no defensive players on the field.

"It was boring," Gonzalez, said referring to the fact that few hitters were able to connect with Nolasco's pitches. "He hit all his spots,"

Asked if that was good enough for Gonzalez to name Nolasco the Opening Day starter, Gonzalez said, "No, not yet. Especially this week after three or four injuries, I don't want to jinx him, not that I am superstitious."

While the bullpen is in flux, Gonzalez said he is excited about top part of the rotation, with Nolasco, Josh Johnson and Chris Volstad.

"They will extend winning streaks and shorten losing streaks. Lose two and you have Ricky or Johnson or [Volstad]. And the other two guys [Andrew Miller and Anibal Sanchez] aren't chopped liver," Gonzalez said.

Short hops: Marlins first baseman Gaby Sanchez left Wednesday's game in the ninth inning after colliding left knee-to-left knee with Washington's Lastings Milledge.

Wednesday's recap: The Marlins got four runs on five hits off Scott Olsen, and all the hits were for extra bases, with four doubles and a triple. The Marlins won 7-5 in Viera after allowing the Nationals to rally and score four runs in the bottom of the ninth.